


The Mistake of Severus Snape

by etymolodrarry



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hogwarts Sixth Year, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), No Angst, POV First Person, POV Lily Evans Potter, Remus Lupin & Lily Evans Potter Friendship, Romance, okay maybe the tinest bit of angst but not really
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-06
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 03:07:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24576541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/etymolodrarry/pseuds/etymolodrarry
Summary: The one thing Severus Snape can't stand more than anything else is the thought of James Potter and Lily Evans dating. But... what if he's the very reason they got together in the first place?
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 10





	The Mistake of Severus Snape

**Author's Note:**

> I originally wrote and published this on ff.net when I was 13, please be gentle :)

Severus and I were fighting. _Again_.

It was the third time this week. He'd cornered me after lunch, before my free period. He came trying to apologize for calling me, well, a _mudblood_ , but forgiveness was not on my agenda.When I didn't accept his apology, our _'friendly'_ little conversation quickly deteriorated into this: a shouting match.

The next thing I knew, his fist made contact with my face.  
His face went from anger, to utter shock. He looked from me, to his fist, and back to me. "Lily—" he stuttered. "Lily, I—I—"

I felt my nostrils flare, and I whipped my wand out of my robes and slashed it through the air, putting the tip right in front of his crooked nose. I blinked back a few tears threatening to fall.  
"Get away from me." I raised my voice, " _now_."

"Lils, I—I'm sor—"

I waved my wand, shooting a non-verbal spell. He flew backward and hit the wall. _That's gonna leave a mark._

"It's Evans." I snapped, casting _kiintäen_ to keep him from following me, and stormed towards the Gryffindor tower.

The longer I walked, the more I thought about what had happened, which only made me angrier. " _Wormwood,_ " I snapped at the portrait leading to the common room.

"Tsk, tsk, _someone's_ in a bad mood," she chided as swung open.

I crawled through quickly as possible, and dashed through the room to my dorm. Luckily, there weren't many people to see me pass. I threw my bag onto my bed and dashed toward the mirror, gingerly touching the bruise that was already forming. Of all places, he had to hit me in the eye? Did you know you can break your iris? I know, it's disgusting.

Cursing under my breath, I cast a quick _leniens_ to ease the pain. I decided not to heal it— why should I cover up what he'd done? I didn't care who saw it, and I certainly wasn't going to let him pretend it'd never happened.

I sighed and threw open my trunk, digging through the normally neat piles of books until I found the one I wanted. I stomped down the steps of the dormitory, back into the common room. The dorm was just too quiet; it was unnerving. I ignored the looks I got from the few others in the room.

I settled into my favorite armchair in front of the fire. I had only read the first chapter when four figures burst into the common room, chattering loudly. None other than the four ' _marauders_ ', as they called themselves, had settled down into the couches set slightly diagonal to the chair I was in. I kept reading.

I noticed their talking was slowly dying down. "Lily?" I heard Potter mutter.

They had noticed.

Let me explain. James Potter and Sirius Black are insufferable idiots. Potter is _completely_ intent on winning me over, claiming he's in love, and Black supports him unconditionally. Peter Pettigrew, the third one, is okay. Kind of weird though— Remus Lupin is the only tolerable one of the group. He's not a troublemaker, he's smart and loves reading like me, _and_ he's a prefect. We've been friends since last year, when we both became prefects, and we're even on a first-name-basis.

"Lily—" Potter said again, then cleared his throat. " Evans, I mean. Evans, what happened?"

His voice sounded slightly off, like it didn't have it's usual arrogance in it. My eyes paused on the page, then continued.

"Lily." This time it was Remus. I looked over the top of my book and glared at the four. "Lily, what happened?" Remus coaxed.

"Severus." I answered in a low voice, and returned my eyes to the page.

They exchanged troubled glances. The four of them knew my history with Severus, how I had been friends with him since before Hogwarts. They'd witnessed him calling me a mudblood— they're even part of the reason it happened in the first place.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the angry expressions on their faces. The anger was more prominent on Black's and Potter's face, since they despised him the most.

"Um." Remus started. "What— what did you do?"

I shrugged, in the best way I could in my slumped position. "Hexed him. Threw him against the wall. Gave him some nasty bruises and locked his legs together."

Black scoffed. "Really, Evans? You locked his legs together? That's _it?_ "

"I used an _Uralic hex_ , Black," I snapped, "He doesn't know the countercurse."

He looked impressed. "Nice, Evans. Guess you're on our team now, huh?"

I glowered at him, and he flinched. "No, Black, I am _not_. I will never stoop to your level of pranking and hurting people you hate."

He put his hands up in surrender. "Hey, don't get all riled up, it was just a question. And stop glaring! You look five times scarier with a black eye."

I smirked slightly. Remus turned to me and asked, "Are you alright to patrol tonight? With... You know...?"

"I can walk, Remus," I rolled my eyes, "I have a black eye, not a broken leg. _Yes_ , I can patrol."

As prefects, we had to patrol the corridors after curfew for students out of bed. Luckily, Remus and I had been assigned the first floor— patrols only lasted an hour after curfew there.

He coughed. "Well, I wouldn't know..." He trailed off and his eyes widened. "Wait! Lily, I can't patrol tonight!"

I cocked my head to the left. "Why not?"

He looked towards his friends uncomfortably. "I... uh..."

"His aunt is sick!" Peter piped up.

I laughed, and lowered my voice. "You mean, it's your ' _time of the month'_ ' again?"

The four exchanged a look of panic. "What—" Remus laughed nervously, "What are you talking about?" He asked in a strained voice.

I rolled my eyes again. "C'mon, I've known since, like, second year. And _no_ , I haven't told anyone."

"Well, you figured it out faster than us," Sirius chuckled, "It took us till the middle of third year to find out."

I rolled my eyes and looked at Remus. "Before you ask, no, I don't hate you, but who's going to cover for you?" I asked.

He looked to the ceiling as if mentally going through everyone's schedules. He sighed. "The only person available is that Slytherin prick."

I groaned. "Pritchard? No, no way."

Remus looked hopefully toward Sirius. "Sirius?"

"No. Not him either. I am _not_ patrolling with _him_ ," I interrupted.

Remus sighed. "James?"

"That's not any better!"

Remus sighed. "Lily, it's the only other option you have. _Unless_ you want to patrol alone or with the Slytherin?"

I groaned, shoving my face into my book.

"Is that a yes?"

"Leave me alone." I mumbled into the pages.

"Yeah, that's a yes."

* * *

"Um, Evans?" Potter said uncertainty from where he stood near the couch. "Isn't it time to—"

I groaned and snapped my book shut, then flopped to my feet. "Let's get this over with." _Just an uneventful night of patrol. You'll be fine,_ I told myself, shoving the book into my bag and slinging it over my shoulder. "You have your wand?" I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you worrying about me?"

I rolled my eyes. " _Actually_ , Potter, I am not. I'm asking because certain students make it a habit of creating trouble after curfew. I'd rather _not_ do all the work."

He raised his hands in defense. "Okay, sorry. Yes, I have it."

I marched past him and swung open the portrait and crawled through. He stepped out as well and held an arm out to me. "Shall we?"

"Yeah, no." I said flatly, and started walking down the stairs at my usually fast pace.

Potter hurried after me until we were walking equal to each other.

As soon as we got to the first floor, I checked my watch. 8:57.

"Why are you checking your watch?" Potter asked.

"I don't want to patrol with you for a second longer than I have to, Potter."

"Touchy," he replied, but he was distracted. He checked his watch too, his eyebrows furrowed.

"You're worried about Remus," I stated, and his shoulders slumped. "He'll be fine," I said. "It's only for an hour."

He didn't answer, and we continued to walk in silence.

"Say, why do you call me by my last name, anyways?" He asked suddenly. "You called me 'James' in first year."

I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see. "That was before I learned your personality. _Before_ you started to act like an arrogant git."

"Aw, come on, Evans..."

"You call me 'Evans,'" I pointed out. "Why do you call me that?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw him scratch his neck. "I don't know." He said. "Because you call me Potter?"

I sighed. "But I have a reason to."

"And so do I."

"You're so insufferable."

"Tell me, why do you hate me so much?"

"Oh? I don't know." I said sarcastically. "Maybe because from first to fourth year you and Black would go out of your way to prank me, to make fun of me, and basically reduce me to tears. All because of this _'crush'_ you have." I made air quotes.

He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "I did all that?"

I nodded in a ' _duh_ ' sort of way.

His eyes widened. "Li— Evans, I'm so sorry."

I smirked. "You've been calling me Evans for 5 years and you're still slipping up on it."

"Well." He smiled shyly. "That's because I only call you Evans to you."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"

He nodded.

"Well, I refer to you as Potter to everybody." I said, matter-of-factly.

He rolled his eyes at me as we turned a corner— and almost ran into three Slytherins— Snape, Mulciber, and Avery.

"Well, well, well." Mulciber sneered. "Our favorite Gryffindors are on a date."

I quickly glanced at Snape, his expression hurt and confused. Good.

 _Now, should I use Mulciber's comment to my favor?_ I wondered. _Nah_ , I thought. _Not worth it._

"Oh, please." I scoffed and whipped out my wand. "Leave, or I'll report you."

Now it was Avery's turn to sneer. "And who will you report us to after Hogwarts?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "No one. After Hogwarts, it won't be against the rules to hex you into the next century." I answered.

Avery licked his lips, and as if to regain his dignity, he asked, "What about that black eye Snape gave you? It makes you a lot uglier than you were. I didn't know that was possible."

I smiled. "Oh, thank you! I was trying to look like you today. I'm practicing for Halloween."

All three of them glared at me, without a comeback.

"Whatever, mudblood." Mulciber laughed.

"Yeah, you're just a _mudblood_. Who cares?"

"Hey—" Potter finally spoke up, but I held up my hand.

Mulciber and Avery looked at Snape. "What are you waiting for?"

Snape looked at them, then to me. "Mudblood," he spat.

I sighed, ignoring the burning in my eyes— it was too dark for them to tell, anyways. "Idiots," I said, "you need to come up with a better insult. 'Mudblood,' _seriously?_ As if I _care_."

"Leave. _Now_." Potter snapped before they could reply.

Snape sneered at him. "Who's gonna make us?"

"Not me, but I can tell you Professor McGonagall is just down the hall, he pointed. I turned to where he was pointing, and by the time I turned back, the Slytherins were gone.

"I was lying about—" Potter started, but was interrupted.

"Lying about what, Mr. Potter?"

Professor McGonagall had turned the corner and was looking at us disapprovingly.

"Never mind." Potter corrected himself.

She looked from Potter, to me, and back to Potter.

"What are you doing out of bed? And Ms. Evans, I expected better from you! Aren't you supposed to be patrolling?"

I smiled slightly. "We are, Professor. Remus couldn't patrol tonight, so he asked Potter to fill in."

Her eyes widened in understanding, and she nodded.

"Oh, I was lying when I told the Slytherins that you were coming," James laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck, "but it's not a lie anymore."

She nodded again, but then stopped. "Ms. Evans, what happened to your eye?"

"I was punched in the face," I responded coldly.

"Oh, let me fix that for you." She started to take out her wand, but I stopped her.

"No, really Professor, it's alright."

She looked at me, confused. "Are you sure?"

I nodded. "I don't want to cover it up," I said, "I don't want to change the way I look because others want me too."

She sighed and nodded. "Forgive me. I just assumed." She looked from me to Potter. "Good luck, you two." She walked between us, and continued down the hallway.

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Now that that's over."

We started walking again. "You know, Evans." Potter said. "If it makes you feel better, you're very pretty, even with the black eye. It doesn't change anything."

I smiled at how carefully he was speaking, like I would explode if he didn't say it right. "Thanks, Potter, but I don't care much when it comes to what others think of me."

He nodded. "That's... that's good. But did you really mean what you said back there?"

"What?"

"That you don't care. Because, when Snape said it..."

I sighed, and wiped away a tear before it fell. "Sev— _Snape_ and I... we were friends before Hogwarts. Since I was nine years old."

He raised an eyebrow. I guess he hadn't known we went that far back.

"I knew what the Slytherins called me, to my face and behind my back." I said. "I told Snape about that, and he assured me he didn't think of me that way. That was obviously a lie. Now I know what he _really_ said about me behind my back."

Potter made a motion as if he wanted to comfort me, but held back. "Well, they're just prejudiced Slytherins, anyways. Now you can be like us!" He opened his arms as if to say, _'look at me!'_

I breathed out a puff of air through my nose. "Oh, goody."

He pointed a finger at me. "You're not yelling. You're not _hexing_ me! Why aren't you hexing me? Who are you and what have you done to the real Lily Evans?"

I laughed. "I am Dumbledore." I responded sarcastically. "I've placed her inside a crystal ball as part of my master plan to turn all muggleborns into butterflies."

Potter looked at me in disbelief, then laughed. "Wow, Evans, you're funny. Not only did you just _laugh_ at something I said, but who else would make up a response like that?"

I rolled my eyes. "Dumbledore, _duh_?"

Potter smirked. "I guess you're really warming up to me, huh?"

"Keep trying."

He pouted, then brightened. "How about we call each other by our first names?"

I looked at him and blinked. "What?"

"It was just a thought. Remus uses your first name," he shrugged. "I'd like to call you Lily to your face."

I sighed. "I don't know. I've called you Potter to everyone. Mainly because, well, I hated you."

"Did you really?"

I shrugged. "Not... not for no reason. I hated you for what you did to me."

He looked at me curiously. "You're using past tense."

I smiled slightly. He had caught it.

"I don't do that to me now, do I?" He asked in a worried tone.

I shook my head. "No, not any more. But you trailing after me like a lovesick puppy? _That's_ annoying."

He turned to me, still walking. "Lily."

I raised my eyebrow at the sound of my first name coming from him. "Yes?"

"I mean it, Lily. I do. I actually love you. That's not a lie. It never was." His voice sounded tighter, and he faced forward again.

My mouth formed into an 'o' at sincerity in his voice. "Really?"

He nodded. "Yes."

I smiled with the corner of my mouth. "I always thought it was fake, and you were only doing this because I'm the only girl you can't get."

He shook his head, though he looked a little disappointed. "It's not. I promise."

"Well then." I grinned. "Since you're calling me Lily, I get to call you James."

He stared at me with wide eyes, lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really?"

I nodded. "Don't get a bigger head. You won't be able to get off your broomstick."

He grinned even wider. "There's the usual insult!"

I rolled my eyes, muttering, "arrogant toe-rag," underneath my breath.

I looked ahead, and saw we were almost in front of the portrait hole. I was about to say the password, when a hand was over my mouth.

James grinned at me. "Wormwood." He said to the portrait, and removed his hand from my face. 

I glared at him, then wrinkled my nose. "Bleugh." I said. "Your hand tastes like sweat."

He shot me a playful look, then gestured for me to go into the common room first.

I shook my head. "You first."

"Lily, I'm not moving until you go in first."

"You're impossible." I mumbled, and crawled into the common room. It was completely empty and dark, even though it was only just after 10 o'clock. The fire was almost out, creating flashes of light that danced around the room.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" James grinned.

"Whatever, Potter." I playfully snapped.

"Oh, so it's Potter now, huh?" He asked, adopting a hurt expression, which I rolled my eyes to. Suddenly I realized how close we were standing to each other. I subtly backed up half a step.

"Lily?" James asked suddenly.

"Yeah?"

He cleared his throat. "Oh, um, nothing. It's nothing."

"Yeah, sure." I said sarcastically. "So are you going to tell me what's wro—"

A pair of lips cut me off. _James's_ lips. _Oh Merlin, what's happening._

It didn't surprise me much, to be honest. It's exactly the sort of thing he would do. What surprised me was something different. I _liked_ it.

 _What is wrong with me?_ I screeched in my head. I blinked, and moved my head backwards, breaking the connection.

He looked down at me, (I'm not that much shorter!) and a breath hitched in my throat as I saw the emotions swimming through his eyes. The most prominent was new— desperation.

He gulped loudly. "I'm sorry, um," his voice was hoarse. "Will you— come to Hogsmeade this weekend?"

I looked toward the ceiling in exasperation, and sighed. I shifted my weight onto one leg and stared at him, head cocked to one side with my eyebrows raised.

I watched his expression harden, and he turned away. "Never mind." He said sharply. "I shouldn't have asked."

He turned to walk away, but I grabbed his elbow. He began to yank his arm out of my hand, but before he could, I whispered, "James, _wait_."

He turned, glaring at me. My heart broke seeing the hurt in his eyes, but I still leaned back against the wall, an amused expression on my face.

"You suck at asking out girls." I said flatly.

He looked at me surprised, losing the cold face. "What?"

I rolled my eyes. "Come on. You don't just say the girl's name, and a place to go and expect a yes!"

He squinted at me, confused. "What else do I do?"

I leaned my head against the wall. "I don't know, make it more meaningful and unique."

"But I don't know how to do that!"

"Just try."

He opened his mouth, surprised that I was giving him another chance.

"Well," He started. "Um, so, Lily Evans..." He paused, his eyes darted around as if looking for inspiration.

"Yes?" I asked playfully.

"Um, Lily Evans, will you do the honor... Will you do the honor of accompanying me to Hogsmeade tomorrow?"

I sighed through my nose at his inexperience. "Oh alright. _Yes_."

He looked kind of startled. "Wait, what?"

"All of that, and you still expected it to be a no?"

He shrugged sheepishly. "It's always been a no."

I rolled my eyes again and sighed.

I watched as he leaned over to kiss me again, but I held my finger to his lips. "Ah ah ah." I said teasingly, "you'll have to wait." I headed up the steps to the girls dormitory, without looking back.

 _Maybe that wasn't as uneventful as I thought_ , I said to myself, and smiled. 

**Author's Note:**

> "Kiintäen," the spell used to lock Snape’s legs together, is a conjugation of kiintää, a Finnish word meaning “to fasten, attach.”  
> (Finnish is a Uralic language—since the majority of Harry Potters are Latin, (an Italic language) the counter curse wouldn't be well known (AKA: Snape would be stuck there for awhile.) (which is what he DESERVES)
> 
> "Leniens," the pain-relieving charm, is a conjunction of lenio, Latin for “I soften, soothe.”
> 
> I'll be editing and posting the other chapters soon, but if you can't wait for that, check out the full fic on wattpad (username: defective-talos) (keep in mind: i wrote those chapters AGES ago)


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